2 Samuel 15
1 Te phoeiah tah Absalom loh amah ham leng neh marhang neh a hmaiah aka yong la hlang sawmnga te a hmoel.
Some time later, Absalom acquired a chariot and horses [to pull it]. He [hired] 50 men to run in front of him [to honor him while he was riding around Jerusalem in the chariot].
2 Te phoeiah Absalom te hlah uh tih vongka kah longpuei kaep ah pai. Te vaengah tuituknah a khueh tih manghai mikhmuh kah laitloeknah paan ham aka om hlang carhui te Absalom loh a khue. Te phoeiah, “Nang me kho lamkah lae?” a ti nah hatah, “Na sal he Israel koca pakhat ni,” a ti nah.
Furthermore, he always rose early [each morning] and stood by the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute/quarrel that he wanted the king to decide, Absalom would call out to him, asking “What city are you from?” When the person told him what [city and] tribe he was from,
3 Te vaengah anih te Absalom loh, “So lah, na ol tah then tih langya dae nang ol te manghai loh a hnatun moenih,” a ti nah.
Absalom would say to him, “Listen, [I am sure that] what you are saying/claiming is right. But there is no one whom the king has appointed/authorized to listen to [people like] you.”
4 Te phoeiah khaw Absalom loh, “Khohmuen ah lai aka tloek la kamah he dawk ng'khueh koinih tuituknah aka khueh hlang boeih loh kai taengla ha pawk vetih laitloeknah dongah anih te ka tang sak suidae,” a ti nah.
Absalom would then add, “I wish that I were a judge in this land. If I were a judge, anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would decide it fairly/justly.”
5 Te dongah a om nah kung ah anih bawk hamla aka mop hlang boeih te a kut a doe tih a kop phoeiah a mok.
And whenever anyone came near to Absalom to bow respectfully in front of him, Absalom would reach out and embrace him and kiss him.
6 Hekah olka bangla Absalom loh manghai kah laitloeknah aka paan Israel rhoek boeih taengah a saii. Te dongah Absalom loh Israel hlang rhoek kah lungbuei te a huen pah.
Absalom did this to everyone in Israel who came to the king because of having a dispute with someone. In that way, Absalom persuaded all the Israeli people to be more pleased with him [IDM] [than they were pleased with David].
7 Kum sawmli a poeng nen tah Absalom loh manghai taengah, “Ka cet mai saeh lamtah Hebron ah BOEIPA taengah ka saii ka olcaeng te ka thuung mai pawn eh.
Four years later, Absalom [went to] the king and said, “Please allow me to go to Hebron [city], in order that I can do what I promised Yahweh that I would do.
8 Aram Geshuri kah kho ka sak vaengah ni na sal loh olcaeng he a caeng coeng. Te vaengah, ‘BOEIPA loh kai he Jerusalem ah m'bal la m'bal puei atah BOEIPA taengah tho ka thueng eh,’ ka ti ta,” a ti nah.
When I was living in Geshur, in Syria, I promised Yahweh that if he brought me back to Jerusalem, I would worship him [in Hebron].”
9 Te daengah anih te manghai loh, “Sading la cet ne,” a ti nah. Te dongah thoo tih Hebron la cet.
The king replied, “You may go.” So Absalom went to Hebron.
10 Tedae Absalom loh Israel koca boeih taengah longyam a tueih tih, “Tuki ol na yaak uh vaengah, ‘Absalom tah Hebron ah manghai la om coeng,’ ti uh ne,” a ti nah.
But [while he was there, ] he secretly sent messengers to all the tribes in Israel, to tell them, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets [being blown], shout ‘Absalom has become the king at Hebron!’”
11 Te vaengah Jerusalem lamkah a khue hlang yahnih loh Absalom te a caeh puei. Amih te ngaimong ngaitoe la cet uh dae olka pakhat khaw a ming uh moenih.
Absalom had taken with him to Hebron 200 men from Jerusalem, but they did not know [what Absalom was planning to do].
12 David kah olrhoep Giloh Ahithophel te hmueih a nawn na kungah amah kho Giloh lamkah te Absalom loh a tah. Anih neh lairhui te om rhapsat dae pilnam khaw Absalom taengla muep cet.
While Absalom was offering sacrifices [at Hebron], he sent a message to Ahithophel, from Giloh [town], requesting him to come. Ahithophel was one of the king’s advisors. So the number of people who joined Absalom and who were ready to rebel [against David] became larger.
13 Te vaengah David taengla aka puen te ha pawk tih, “Israel hlang kah a lungbuei tah Absalom taengla om coeng,” a ti nah.
Soon a messenger came to David and said to him, “All [HYP] the Israeli people [SYN] are joining Absalom to rebel against you!”
14 Te dongah David loh Jerusalem kah amah taengah aka om a sal rhoek boeih te, “Thoo uh lamtah, yong uh pawn sih, Absalom mikhmuh lamloh mamih ham loeihnah om mahpawh, pahoi caeh ham om. Mamih he buengrhuet ng'kae vetih mamih soah yoethae hang heh phoeiah tah khopuei te cunghang ha neh ngawn ve,” a ti nah.
So David said to all his officials, “We must leave immediately if we want to escape from Absalom! We must go quickly, before he [and his men] arrive. If we do not do that, they will kill us and everyone else in the city!”
15 Manghai kah sal rhoek loh manghai te, “Ka boei manghai kah a coelh bangla na sal rhoek boeih ka om uh he,” a ti uh.
The king’s officials said, “Okay, your majesty, we are ready to do whatever you decide.”
16 Te phoeiah tah manghai neh a kho kung kah a imkhui pum tah pahoi hlah uh. Tedae a yula huta parha te tah im tawt la manghai loh a caehtak.
So the king left ten of his slave wives there to take care of the palace, but all the other people in his palace went with him.
17 Manghai neh a kho kungkah pilnam boeih te hlah uh tih khohla bangsang kah im la pai uh.
When they all were leaving [the city], they stopped at the last house.
18 Te vaengah a kut hmuiah aka pongpa a sal boeih neh Kerethi boeih, Phelethi boeih neh Gath lamloh anih kho kungah aka pongpa Ghitti boeih tah hlang ya rhuk la manghai mikhmuh ah cet uh.
The king and his officials stood there while his bodyguards went by in front of him. 600 soldiers from Gath [city] also walked by in front of him.
19 Tedae manghai loh Ghitti Ittai te, “Balae tih, kaimih taengah nang na pongpa he? Mael lamtah manghai taengah ana om ngawn. Nang tah kholong neh na hmuen lamloh m'poelyoe uh nang khaw.
Then David said to Ittai, [the leader of the soldiers] from Gath, “(Why are you going with us?/You should not be going with us.) [RHQ] Go back and stay with [Absalom] the [new] king. You are not an Israeli; you are living away from your own land.
20 Hlaem ah na pawk tih tihnin ah nang he kam poeng khaw kam poeng puei mai aya? Kaimih neh n'caeh vaengah me la ka pawk a khaw ka cet to coeng. Sitlohnah neh oltak la mael lamtah na taengkah na manuca rhoek mael puei laeh,” a ti nah.
You have lived here [in Israel] for only a short time [HYP]. And we do not even know where we will be going. So it is not right [RHQ] for me to force you to wander around with us. And take your troops with you. And I hope/wish that Yahweh will faithfully love and be loyal to you.”
21 Tedae Ittai loh manghai te a doo tih, “BOEIPA kah hingnah neh ka boeipa manghai kah hingnah dongah, ka boeipa manghai te mekah hmuen ah om mai tih, dueknah neh hingnah dongah khaw na sal he ha om bitni,” a ti nah.
But Ittai replied, “Your Majesty, as surely as you live, wherever you go, I will go; I will stay with you, whether they kill me or allow me to live.”
22 Tedae David loh Ittai te, “Cet lamtah kat laeh,” a ti nah. Te dongah Ghitti Ittai neh a hlang rhoek boeih, a taengkah camoe boeih te a kat puei.
David replied to Ittai, “Okay, march with us!” So Ittai and all his troops and their families went [with David].
23 Pilnam te boeih a khum vaengah kho tomah a ol neh bungbung rhap uh. Manghai loh Kidron soklong te a poeng daengah pilnam boeih loh khosoek longpuei kah rhaldan la thoeih uh pueng.
All the people [along the road] cried when they saw them walking by. The king and all the others crossed the Kidron Valley and then they all went [up the hill] toward the desert.
24 Te vaengah Pathen kah paipi thingkawng aka kawt Zadok neh a taengkah Levi boeih long khaw Pathen kah thingkawng te dalh a hal uh. Te dongah khopuei lamkah aka nong ham pilnam te boeih a cing duela Abiathar loh a dom pah.
Abiathar and Zadok, [the priests, ] were walking with them. The descendants of Levi [who helped the priests] also went with them, carrying the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments. But they set it on the ground until all the others had left the city.
25 Te vaengah manghai loh Zadok te, “Pathen kah thingkawng he khopuei la mael puei laeh, BOEIPA kah mikhmuh ah mikdaithen ka dang tih kai m'mael puei atah amah neh a tolkhoeng te kai n'tueng bitni.
Then the king said to Zadok, “You and Abiathar take the sacred chest back into the city. If Yahweh is pleased with me, he will some day allow me to return to see it and the place where it is kept.
26 Tedae, ‘Nang te kang ngaih moenih,’ a ti oeh atah a mikhmuh ah a then a ti bangla kai taengah han saii nawn saeh,” a ti nah.
But if he says that he is not pleased with me, then I am willing for him to do to me whatever he thinks is good.”
27 Te phoeiah manghai loh khosoih Zadok te, “Na taengkah na ca rhoi, na capa Ahimaaz neh Abiathar capa Jonathan khaw khopuei ah sading la mael puei ham na hmuh a?” a ti nah.
He also said to Zadok, “Listen [to what I suggest]. You and Abiathar return to the city peacefully/safely, and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan with you.
28 “Ka hmuh, nangmih taeng lamkah ol aka thoeng te kai taengla ha puen hil khosoek kah vahcaeh, kolken ah kan rhing ni,” a ti nah.
I will wait in the desert at the place where people can walk across the river, until you send a message to me.”
29 Te dongah Zadok neh Abiathar loh Pathen kah thingkawng te Jerusalem la a mael puei rhoi tih pahoi om rhoi.
So Zadok and Abiathar carried the sacred chest back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
30 David te olive kham ah a luei. A luei vaengah rhap tih a lu khoep a yil tih khotling la cet. A taengkah pilnam boeih long khaw a lu rhip a yil uh tih a caeh, caeh doela rhap uh.
David [and those with him] went up Olive [Tree] Hill. David was crying while he walked. He was walking barefoot and had something covering his head [to show that he was sorrowful]. All those who were going with him also covered their heads and were crying while they walked.
31 Te vaengah David taengla a puen pa tih, “Absalom neh aka ven uh rhoek khuiah Ahithophel khaw om,” a ti nah. Te dongah David loh, “BOEIPA aw, Ahithophel kah cilsuep te pavai sak laeh,” a ti.
Someone told David that Ahithophel had joined with those who were rebelling against David. So David prayed, “Yahweh, cause whatever Ahithophel suggests to Absalom [that he should do to be considered] to be foolish!”
32 Som la a pawk vaengah David loh Pathen te a bawk. Te vaengah Arkii Hushai loh a angkidung pawnsoem neh a lu dongah laipi hoeng la David tarha a doe.
When they arrived at the top of the hill, where there was a place where the people worshiped [God], suddenly Hushai, from the Arki people-group, met David. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head [to show that he was very sad].
33 Te dongah anih te David loh, “Kai taengah na pongpa koinih kai ham hnorhih la na om ni.
David said to him, “If you go with me, you will not be able to help me.
34 Tedae khopuei la na bal tih Absalom taengah, ‘Kai tah manghai nang kah sal la ka om eh, na pa kah sal lam khaw hlamat ah ka om coeng dae nang kah sal la ka om mai pawn eh,’ na ti koinih Ahithophel kah cilsuep te kai ham na phae suidae.
But if you return to the city, [you can help me by] saying to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will serve you as faithfully as I served your father.’ If you do that [and stay near Absalom], you will be able to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives to Absalom.
35 Na taengah khosoih Zadok neh Abiathar te a om moenih a? Te daengah man manghai im kah olka na yaak boeih te khosoih Zadok neh Abiathar taengah na thui ve.
Zadok and Abiathar the priests are already there [RHQ]. Whatever you hear people say in the king’s palace, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar.
36 A ca rhoi, Zadok capa Ahimaaz neh Abiathar capa Jonathan khaw amih taengah pahoi om ta ke. Olka na yaak boeih te amih kut lamkah loh kai taengla nam pat mako,” a ti nah.
Keep in mind that Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan are also there. You can tell them whatever you find out, and send them to report it to me.”
37 Te dongah David kah olrhoep Hushai loh khopuei te a paan tih Jerusalem kah Absalom taengla kun.
So David’s friend Hushai returned to the city, at the same time that Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
